IT consultants?

Is anyone here an IT consultant? What are your typical job duties? What is it that you actually do? While still on the hunt for a job someone mentioned being an consultant.

Yes I can google but I like to hear first hand experience.

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DatabaseHead

Too vague to comment. Depends what type, Principal Consultant is much different than your average Joe working W2 in a staff aug model. And there are several "levels" in between.

Highest level of consultant would build relationships, work on proposals, do analysis on the scope of work and cost, answer RFP's, help design SOW's, console the executive team. Put out complex process driven fires.

Low level consultant could be banging out passwords 8 hours a day 5 days a week......

Chevel

DatabaseHead wrote: »

Too vague to comment. Depends what type, Principal Consultant is much different than your average Joe working W2 in a staff aug model. And there are several "levels" in between.

Highest level of consultant would build relationships, work on proposals, do analysis on the scope of work and cost, answer RFP's, help design SOW's, console the executive team. Put out complex process driven fires.

Low level consultant could be banging out passwords 8 hours a day 5 days a week......

Interesting didn't realize there were different types. Nothing manager wise just general.

What did you mean by "banging out passwords?"

DatabaseHead

Resetting lots of passwords for your job.

EANx

Chevel wrote: »

Is anyone here an IT consultant? What are your typical job duties? What is it that you actually do? While still on the hunt for a job someone mentioned being an consultant. .

What do you mean by "consultant"?

You have contractors, people who are hired for a specific task. That task might be for a few months or indefinitely but they do not enjoy typical employment protection.

In other arenas, a consultant could be someone who is brought in as an expert in a specific area for very short periods for very specific purposes.

You need to spell out what you mean. If the second, everything will be very skill/location dependent.

labscloud

DatabaseHead wrote: »

Too vague to comment. Depends what type, Principal Consultant is much different than your average Joe working W2 in a staff aug model. And there are several "levels" in between.

Highest level of consultant would build relationships, work on proposals, do analysis on the scope of work and cost, answer RFP's, help design SOW's, console the executive team. Put out complex process driven fires. Low level consultant could be banging out passwords 8 hours a day 5 days a week......

This is what my mom's boyfriend does, he specializes in Epic implementations for health systems. They usually fly him out on Sundays and pay for him an hotel/apartment depending on how long the job will last. I'm actually thinking about getting Epic certified because he averages about 80-90/hr, up to 125/hr.

beads

Depends on the person and how much you want to be home at night, family, friends and other relationships. Some people can weather the thing like water off a duck's back while it kills other people's relationships. Depends on the person. I have done much the same for years, have no kids but an understanding wife but only see her on weekends. Add to that, the travel can and will take a toll on you physically. You really have to be more careful as to what and when you eat, exercise and sleep as the consulting lifestyle often mimics my college schedule. Drinks after work? Yeah sure! Now imagine this 3-5 nights a week with bar food and imagine what happens to your body after 40. Seen it. You can only abuse yourself so much for so long.

Coming out of the consulting world can also make career change a bit more difficult as many organizations do not like to hire career consultants. Others love the variety of past experiences. In that regard it can be a mixed bag. Lastly, it can be difficult to make the transition to being in the same office, same people for an indefinite period of time working on the same basic project. Compared to the constant invigorating new environs, new people and new problems to solve, day to day of my consulting work makes me shiver at the sheer boredom of the idea.

Really its a mixed bag. I have crappy benefits but make a great deal of money. I have also been fired or completed my projects early and found myself out of paycheck for weeks and months at a time so financial planning cannot be stressed enough. Still there are pros and cons what is best for you will take more than just a paycheck.

Think before you leap.

- b/eads

Cisco Inferno

labscloud wrote: »

This is what my mom's boyfriend does, he specializes in Epic implementations for health systems. They usually fly him out on Sundays and pay for him an hotel/apartment depending on how long the job will last. I'm actually thinking about getting Epic certified because he averages about 80-90/hr, up to 125/hr.

Sounds about right. It isnt very technical if he's working within Epic, but Im sure its more fun if he does the DB/server/network planning parts as well. great pay apparently, analysts here get 80 or 90k

labscloud

Cisco Inferno wrote: »

Sounds about right. It isnt very technical if he's working within Epic, but Im sure its more fun if he does the DB/server/network planning parts as well. great pay apparently, analysts here get 80 or 90k

He doesn't handle anything on the server/network end, he liaises with the doctors and shows them how to use the software and trains the staff on how to navigate and use the software, so not really anything technical, but for that money I'd consider doing it for a year or two, for sure.

glstechserve

Hello Friends,

I am new in this community.

UnixGuy

You go to a building, talk all day, and then you go home. (serious)

DatabaseHead

UnixGuy wrote: »

You go to a building, talk all day, and then you go home. (serious)

See first bullet.

build relationships